Examining the Contribution of Individual and Environmental Characteristics to Adjustment of Ultra-Orthodox Girls who Have Dropped Out of School or at Risk of Dropping Out

This groundbreaking study examines the phenomenon of middle and high school dropouts amongst ultra-Orthodox girls, and places them “on the map” to provide additional information and consolidate existing data on the matter, and to encourage the development and leveraging of services for this population.

The aim of this study is to examine the contribution of personal resources (self-assessment and mastery), Familial resources (parental love conditioning) and community resources (support networks and groups) for the adjustment of young ultra-Orthodox girls, while the adjustment was measured according to the girls’ own sense of well-being and perception of the future. In addition, this study also examines the differences among three groups with regards to the study’s variables as well as with regards to the direct relationship between the resources and the adjustment: Normative [1] ultra-Orthodox girls enrolled in formal educational institutions [2], girls who experience difficulties to adjust within the ultra-Orthodox schools and the norms of its community, and finally, girls who have dropped out of ultra-Orthodox educational institutions and receive responses from restorative frames in the community on behalf of the formal service for Young Adolescents in the Ministry of Social Affairs’ and Social Services.  The study was based on Hobfoll’s Conservation of Resources Theory (Hobfoll, 1989, 2001) centered on the assumption that people are motivated to achieve, maintain, protect and nurture the entities which they value - resources. According to this theory, an individual’s resources are diminished during situations of crisis and the manner in which the individual exits the crisis is by strengthening and enriching the pool of resources available to him. In addition, the study addresses the Intersectionality Marginalization Placement Theory according to which, in order to understand the situation of women who face various hardships, the Intersection placement of their marginalization (Intersectionality) must be examined, and the connections between them must be analyzed (Mutzafi - Haller, 2007; Cromer - Nevo, 2006; Brah & Phoenix, 2004; Hill Collins, 2000).

This study included 120 ultra-Orthodox girls, aged 14-21, who currently belong or formerly belonged to the ultra-Orthodox sector, and who were divided into three equal groups as mentioned above. This study presented, in an unprecedented manner, empirical differences among the three groups examined, in that the normative girls have substantially more resources available and their adjustments are better in comparison to those that show adjustment difficulties and to that of girls who have dropped out. These differences were present in all the variables tested, aside from a sense of mastery. These differences were also expressed in relation to parental support - mother and father, so that normative girls have far more support from their parents. Furthermore, differences were found in the expectations for the development of family life and aspirations of girls to maintain a religious lifestyle in the future between the normative girls and girls who have dropped out, so that the normative girls have more positive expectations in these areas.

The study’s hypotheses examined the correlations between self-esteem, mastery, parental love conditioning and support systems and adjustment, so that the higher the self-esteem, mastery and support systems were, and the lower the parental love conditioning was, the sense of well-being was higher and the future was perceived more positively. In addition, two indirect relationships were examined whereby self-esteem mediates the relationship between parental love conditioning and measures of adjustment, and support systems mediate the relationship between mastery of life and measures of adjustment.

In accordance with the study’s first and second hypotheses, the study’s overall findings indicated a positive relationship between self-esteem and mastery, and the measures of adjustment. The study’s third hypothesis was confirmed in part and it was concluded that parental love conditioning is only negatively associated with well-being. However, there was no association between parental love conditioning and the perception of the future, except for the girls’ perception of the future in the field of employment. While examining both types of parental love conditioning separately (positive and negative), it was concluded that parental love conditioning of the negative kind shows a negative correlation to the perception of the future of the girls. In addition, in accordance with the study’s fourth hypothesis, it was found that support systems contribute positively to adjustment. In accordance with the study’s fifth hypothesis, it was concluded that self-esteem fully mediates the relationship between parental love conditioning and the measures of adjustment. The study’s final hypothesis was confirmed in part and it was concluded that support systems partially mediate the relationship between mastery and the measures of adjustment.

The distinction of the groups regarding the correlation between the resources and the adjustment measures showed differences between the three groups in the various relationships. It was found that self-esteem and mastery had a positive contribution to the well-being and future perception of the girls who showed adjustment difficulties and of those who dropped out, more so than normative girls. It was also found that among normative girls the correlation between parental love conditioning and adjustment is insignificant and the direction of the relationship is positive, while among girls who have dropped out the relationships is significant and negative, and among girls who show adjustment difficulties a negative and significant relationship was found only with regards to parental love conditioning of the negative kind. It was also found that among normative girls support systems contribute exclusively to well-being, while among girls who showed difficulties in adjusting, the positive contribution to the two measures of adjustment was emphasized. However, among girls who have dropped out no correlation was found between support systems to adjustment measures, except for the mother’s support which was found to be positively related to the perception of the future of the girls.

The uniqueness of this study is that it provides multiple angles on the world of ultra-Orthodox girls – a nearly unexplored population – on an individual, familial and social level. The study’s findings and implications reflect the interaction between the private world of the girl and her belonging to an ultra-Orthodox family and community. The data analysis sheds light for the first time on the grim situation of young girls with adjustment difficulties and girls who have dropped out in relation to normative girls in the ultra-Orthodox society. The findings underscore the importance of the resources examined and their contribution to the proper adjustment of all the girls.

In addition, this study introduced an innovative model that describes the self-esteem variable as a mediator between parental love conditioning and measures of adjustment, and the support systems variable as a mediator between mastery and measures of adjustment. Also, during the analysis of the findings it was concluded that these variables also mediate partially or fully the differences between the groups examined and it is here that their importance and uniqueness are shown.

It should be noted that this study emphasizes for the first time the distinct needs of the three groups, and hence the need to develop solutions tailored to these. The findings may help design ways of detection and prevention along with treatment interventions and the development of methods beneficial to the girls, and to encourage further studies in this population.